Combined table and writing-desk.



J. H. MILLER & L. RAAB.

COMBINED TABLE AND WRITING DESK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1913.

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Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

[HWLNI I. H. MILLER & L. RAAB.

COMBINED TABLE AND WRITING DESK.

APPLlcATloN mep FEB. 3. 1913.

Patented Dot. I9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JZQL/Z. Miller lauzls Raab coLuMnlA PLANOGRAPH C0..w/\SH|NCIT0NY D. c

J. H. MILLER L L. RAAB.

COMBINED TABLE AND WRITING DESK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.3.1913.

1,157,633. 'Patented ot.19,1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH Co.. WASHINGTON. D. E.

TEM @TATEB PATENT OFFME.

JOHN I-I. MILLER AND LOUIS RAB, OF ROCESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS T0 MILLER CABINET COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION' 0F NEW YORK.

COMBINED TABLE AND WRITING-DESK.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

' Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

To all l't0/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that we, JOHN H. MILLER and Louis RAAB, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Combined Tables and Writing- Desks; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference numerals marked thereon.

Our presentinvention has for its object to provide a new and improved article of fur niture in the form of av convertible tabledesk, the table having-a movable top portion which may be adjusted to transform it into a writing desk, and it further comprehends the provision of adjustable slides or brackets, which automatically move into supporting position and a movable receptacle for containing the customary writing materials, which is automatically adjusted into an accessible position, when the desk lid is opened.

To these and other ends the invention consists inv certain improvements and c0mbinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at vthe end of the specification. j

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View of a table top constructed in accordance with our invention, the movable portion or desk lid being shown in the open position; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3 isa plan view showing the table frame with the table top removed; Fig. i is a sectional view taken on the line iX-4X of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line X-x of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view, the par-ts however, being shown in the position which they occupy when the desk lid is in closed position, and Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged detail sectional views taken along the line 7"- X of Fig. 1, showing in detail the operating connectionbetween the Vdesk lid and the sliding supporting bracket.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In carrying out our inventio-n, we have shown it as applied to a table frame which may be of the desired or any preferred construction, comprising the front and rear pairs of legs 1-1 and 2 2, which are connected respectively by the front and rear rails 3 .and et and the two end rails 5 and 6. If desired, the front rail may be positioned, as shown in section in Fig. 5 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, to accommodate the sliding drawer 7.

The convertible table top constructed in accordance with our invention is preferably rectangular in outline and of such dimensions that it'overhangs the four sides of the frame. At its forward side the table top consists of the parts A and a connected at their outer edges, by hinges 8, so that the movable portion or leaf c. may be folded either into the closed position shown in Figs. 6 and 8 or opened, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7 to' fc-rm an extension or leaf adapting the structure to be used as a writing desk. The rear half` of the table top is preferably constructed of the portion B of single thickness, equal to the combined thickness of the parts A and a so that when the latter is closed, the table top will be a flat smooth surface, unbroken with the exception of the joint between the edges of the leaf a and the part B.

In order to support the desk lid in open position, we provided, preferably at each end of the table, sliding brackets 9, which are simultaneously projected from a position beneath the table top as shown in Fig. 6, to the outward position shown in Figs. 3 and 5, as the operator revolves the lid a from closedtc open position. These brackets are mounted in suitable guides on the end rails 5 and 6, their forward ends lying below the portion A, which is also slotted, as indicated by A! in Fig. 8, to form guides for the up wardly extending edges 9L on the inner end of the brackets which it will be understood are also received in slots provided in the lower surface ofthe portion B. The edge portions 9a on the brackets notv only serve as a projection for guiding the upper edge of the brackets, but they also act as filling pieces for closing the slots A in the under section A of the table top which would otherwise appear at these points, so that the Vsurface of the latter' is level when the desk lid is opened.

The operating connection between the desk lid a and the sliding brackets 9 comprise the arms 10 hinged at their inner ends to the screw pins 11, inserted in the upper Vedges of the brackets, and at their outer bers 10, so that when the desk lid` is Vopen these parts fall below the plane ofthe desk surface. Y

A further feature of our invention comprises the association with the mechanism i, just described of a suitable rack for containing theV customary writing materials which normally lies below the level of the tableV top, but is raisedupwardly for convenient access, when the desk lid is open: The receptacle referred to may be located in anyV desired position, but both `for the sake of appearance, convenience in operation and manufacture and aecessibility,we prefer to locate it at the center of the table top, and in such a position that when the desk lid is closed the receptacle will be covered and preventedv from accumulating dust and its .contentsthoroughly protected.

ln the drawingsthe receptacle is indicated by C, and may comprise a plurality of compartments suitable for holding writing paperand envelope, and if further desired, an ink well might be mounted therein. The receptacle is supported for vertical movement in guides 1dr depending at the ends of the slot 'in thetable top A. The receptacle normally occupies 'a position below the surface of the table when the desk lid is closed, as shown'in Fig. 6, and when V the latter is opened, it is elevated or projected upwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, by any suitable mechanism actuated through the movement of the desklid. One means of accomplishing this vertical movementfof the receptacle consists in providing inclined guideways, 9b on the inner or adjacent faces of the brackets 9 with which coperatelaterally extending projections or fingers C attached to the receptacle C. The guide slots 9b being inclined upwardly andgrearwardly andthe two brackets 9- moving outwardly simultaneously, as the desk lid a is revolved, act

j upon the pins C and force the receptacle in an upwardly direction until it reaches the limit of its upward movement when the brackets are fully projected and where it is securely held until the desk lid is closed, which latter action serves to retract the brackets 9 when the inclined cam slots 9" cause the receptacle C to be positively moved downwardly to its normal position.

An article of furniture embodying our invention is particularly adapted to be used as one of the furnishings of rooms of small area, such as hotel bed rooms, where the demands of the service rendered vary, and it is not feasible to provide both the two separate pieces of furniture for which our articles serves.

' 7e claim as our invention:

1. The combination with a table top having an aperture, a leaf hinged to tlie'forward edge of the table and normally covering the aperture and rotatable outwardly to form a desk extension, a sliding bracket for supporting the leaf and operating connections between the leaf and the bracket for projecting and retracting the latter, of a receptacle guided for vertical movement through said aperture and means controlled by the bracket for effecting the vertical adjustment of the receptacle upon the reciprocatory movement of the bracket.

2; The combination with a table top having an aperture, a hinged leaf normally covering the aperture and adjustable to uncover the aperture and to form a desk extension, a pair of sliding brackets movable outwardly to support the leaf in extended position and operating connections between the leaf and brackets, of a receptacle guided beneath the aperture and coperating cam slots and pins on the brackets and receptacle serving to effect the upward and downward movement of the rece tacle.

JOHN al. MILLER. LOUIS RAAB.

l/Vitnesses to signature of John H. Miller:

ELSIE C. DUFF, ELIZABETH S. MILLER.

Witnesses to signature of Louis Raab:

G. VILLARD RICH, RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH.

G'opies ofy this patent may'berobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

